Firefighters extinguish overnight house fire

Cause of an overnight house fire in Shawnee is undetermined but Shawnee firefighters say a space heater was being used in a bedroom at that home.

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The Shawnee News-Star

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Posted Dec. 7, 2013 at 9:00 AM

Posted Dec. 7, 2013 at 9:00 AM

Cause of an overnight house fire in Shawnee is undetermined but Shawnee firefighters say a space heater was being used in a bedroom at that home.

Shawnee Fire Chief David Short said the 911 call came in about 2 a.m. from 1403 N. Minnesota.

When crews arrived, they found the house was heavily involved with fire in the front portion of that home.

“Crews were on the scene in about four minutes and entered the house with an attack line and extinguished fire,” Short said. “The firefighters made a quick attack on the fire and contained the fire primarily to two rooms.”

Short the occupant of the home was there when the fire began but quickly and safely exited the home after calling 911.

Shawnee fire crews were on the scene nearly two hours and a fire investigator also planned to be at the home today to probe cause of the blaze.

“A space heater in the bedroom was in operation at the time of the fire,” the chief said, but firefighters are unsure if it was the cause of the fire.

No injuries were reported.

Because house fires tend to rise during these winter events, the American Red Cross of Central and Western Oklahoma offers these safety tips:

• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended, and use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.

• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

•Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.

• Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys inspected annually by a professional, and cleaned if necessary.

• If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs, or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord.